1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for converting a delineative pattern such as a character pattern, which are applicable to a graphic pattern which processes apparatus processing patterns in the form of vector data.
2. Related Background Art
The method of converting a character pattern in the form of vector data is excellent in that patterns can be converted with high data compressibility and at a desired magnification and reduction ratio to obtain patterns of high fidelity. With this method, a vector data format representing coordinates of a contour of a character pattern is used, e.g., a series of coordinates of successive points of the contour, a series of displacement values from a start point coordinate, or the like. Conventional magnification or reduction of a pattern, however, presents a problem: for example, in the case of magnifying a character "H" of FIG. 2(A)) it is simply magnified into a similar figure as shown in FIGS. 2(B) or 2(C).
Apart from the above problem, editing graphic patterns in various forms has recently been desired extensively. For instance, not only conventional simple magnification or reduction function, but also a visual effect such as synthesizing one or plural contours produced by widening or narrowing an original contour in the form of vector data to obtain a so-called outline character has been desired. However, such graphic data processing cannot be carried out using a computer or does not make it possible to attain the desired visual balance of patterns. Therefore, such processing has relied upon complicated and laborious processes including a photographing process.